Heater for automobile engines



Feb. 2, 1937. C, R A 2,069,689

HEATER FOR AUTOMOBILE ENGINES Filed May 7, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l won boo g 'TRCA Feb. 2, 1937. c. TRCA HEATER FOR AUTOMOBILE ENGINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 7, 1936 gwua/wfm EHA HI. E5 TFF'CA Patented Feb. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES 6 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in heaters for automobile engines.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a heater for automobile engines to aid in the starting of the engine during cold weather by means for effecting the flow of heated air over the intake manifold and to supply heated air to the air cleaner and carbureter.

A further object of the invention is to provide a heater of the foregoing character embodying a series of chambers having openings therein arranged in a manner to effect a circuitous flow of air with a heater, preferably in the form of a gasoline blow torch associated with one of the chambers and constituting the heating means, it being understood however that an electric heater may be also employed.

With the above and other objects in view that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings:-

Figure l is a top plan view, partly broken away and shown in section, of a heater for automobile engines and illustrated as associated with the intake manifold of the engine;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the heater showing the carbureter and air cleaner associated therewith, the same being partly broken away and shown in section;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1, showing the several chambers of the heater;

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken on line 4--4 of Figure 1, showing the heater element in the form of a gasoline blow torch.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevational View of another form of heater wherein the conduit for heated air is delivered to a pipe intermediate the usual air cleaner and carbureter;

Figure 6 is a side elevational view, similar to Figure 2, showing control devices for the blow torch burner of the heater, an alcohol lamp and control devices associated with the blow torch;

Figure '7 is a vertical sectional View taken on line l'! of Figure 6, showing the devices for extinguishing the flame of the alcohol lamp associated with the blow torch;

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view taken on line 88 of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary elevational view showing a part of the control mechanism for feeding fuel to the blow torch; and

Figure 10 is a fragmentary elevational view of the instrument board of an automobile showing the control devices and temperature gages associated with the heater,

The heater is illustrated as associated with the intake manifold it of the internal combustion engine I! and also'the carbureter l2 and. air cleaner l3 communicating with the carbureter. .A second carbureter lZa is illustratedin Figure 2 so that the heater may be employed in connection with an automobile engine employing a single or double carburetion system.

The heater comprises an elongated casing It having top and bottom walls? and it, an outer side wall I? and an inner side wall It, a housing l9 being carried by the inner side wall l8 and into which the intake manifold id is received. A series of longitudinally extending partitions 26, 2|, 22, and 23 are formed in the casing M to provide chambers 24, 25, 26, 2?, and 28, the chambers 25 to 28 bordering the chamber 24. The chambers 25 and 26 are positioned at the outer side of the casing M, being superposed as shown in Figure 3, while the chambers 2i and 28 are arranged at the upper side of the casing. Openings 29 respectively arranged at opposite ends of the chambers 25 to 28 cause a circuitous flow of air through the chambers, air being supplied to the chambers by the inlet opening 30 at one end of the chamber 25. As shown in Figure 3, one end of the chamber 28 is provided with an opening 3! that communicates with a housing 32 at one end of the casing It, a conduit 33 forming communication between the housing 32 and air cleaner it while a second conduit 3Q forms communication between the housing 32 at the lower side thereof and the carbureter 62a. The chambers 25 to 28 border the chamber 24 but are not in air-flow communication therewith.

A heater, preferably of the gasoline blow torch type is associated with the chamber 24 of the casing it and includes a housing 35 carried by the end of the casing IQ opposite the housing 42, the housing 35 containing a blow torch 36 supplied with fuel by means of the pipe 36a that may extend to the main gasoline tank of the automobile or other container. To facilitate combustion, a vented slide 3! con'stitutesthe bottom wall of the housing 35, while a vented cap 38 is carried by the upper end of the housing. The flame from the blow torch 35 projects into the chamber 24 as illustrated in Figure 4. The blow. torch 36 is regulated by a control valve operated, by a handle 39 and access to the blow torch is facilitated by a side door hinged to the housing '35. V r t V In the form of'invention illustrated in Figure 5, the air cleaner l3 communicates with the carbureter 12 by means of the pipe |3a and said pipe has a valve device set therein that communicates with the'heater casing I4 by means of the carbureter and in'extremely' cold weather the cold air'through the air intake may be shut off entirely and only heated all" passed through the valve device for delivery'to the carbureter.

From the above detailed description of' the inventi on, it is believed that the' construction and use thereof will at once be apparent, it being 'not'ed that a series'of openings 4! are formed in the inner wall i8 of the casing H to provide direct heat communication between the cham- 7 her 24 and the housing l9 that encloses the intake manifold l0 and the housing I9 is also pro- 7 vided with a series of openings 42 to permit the escape of heat units'frorn the housing IS in the direction of the engine H. 'Air flows in a circuitous path through thech'a'mbers' -25'to 2 8 that border the heated chamber 24 and the airis con ducted to'the cleaner l3 and carbureter I2, and

be substituted' fo-r the gasoline blow torch 36.

' It is to beunderstood that the casing 14 and the conduit delivering the heated air to the air cleaner, pipe Ba, and carburetor lZa 'may 'be covered with asbestos or'othe'r insulating material as well as other'parts of the heater-device for maximum efiiciency in operation.

As shown inFigures 6 to 10, the gasoline blow torch that constitutes the heatproducingfelement and also all of the elements associated therewith are controlled from the instrument board of the automobile, the reference character 52 designating a heatercasing of the type shown in Figures 1 to 3 and having a housing 53 at one -end thereof in which the'blow torch 54 is mounted by means of the bracket 55' shown -in Figure 7. The control of fuel to the blow'torch 54 is ac- 'co'mplished by means of the lever 56 pivotally mounted exteriorly of the housing 53 with one end thereof connected as at 51 to a control valve on the burner '54 while the other end of the lever 56 is connected as at 58' with a push rod 59 that extends to thepanel or instrument board 80, of the automobile. The upper end of the housing 53 carries a ventilator hood 6| controlled in itsoperation by means of the push' rod'62' that extends to the instrument board 60. A ventilator slide 63 is carried by the bottom wall of 'the' housing 53 and is controlled in its operation by'a push rod 64 that extends to the instrument 5 board 60.

an upwardly projectingburner wick 61.

An alcohol lamp is mounted in the bottom of the housing 53 beneath the burner .54 for igni tion of the burner. and includes a receptacle 65 having a filler opening closed by'a plug ififi and An ig- V niter device 68 projecting through a, wall of the housing 53 is associated with the wick; 61 and being of an electrical character has a conductor board;

12a, in a manner previously described." 1 It is to r be understood that other forms of heaters may wire 69 extending to the coil 10, the wires" of V the coil leading to the battery, while the wire 12 y from the coil leads'to a switch button on themstrument board 60. The flame of the burner wick 61 is extinguishedby means of a pair of shutters l3 pivotally mounted at their ends as at 14 to opposite ends of the fuel receptacle 65, a' pair of'curved links 15 being attached at their lower ends to the shutters 13 while the upper ends thereofare attached as at Hito a single link 11 that, has a pinand slot connection with the leg 18 of the bell crank lever thatis mounted I on'a bracket '19 rising from the heater casing 52;

The other leg 8 of the bell. cranklever is at tached to the push rod 8| that extends into the instrument board 60; Thermostatic elements 82 are associated with-the housing 53 and heater casing '52 and have conduits 83 extending to the instrument board '60 for association with'gages V 84. The several Vpush rods'59, 62, 64,}and 83- have operating".

buttons 55 on the instrument Whilethereis herein shown and described I preferred embodiment or the-invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may bemad'e therein without departingfrom the V "spirit and scope or theinventionas claimed.

I'c1aim:- 7 V 1. In a heater'of the character described, a casing including a housing adapted to be placed in inclosing relation with respect to the intake "mani fold of aninternal combustion engine for auto mobiles,' said casing having a heater chamber therein and a circuitous chamber bordering the f heater chamber, meansrormm communication between the circuitous chamber and carburetor for the engine, the heaterchamber being in direct communication with the manifold; a housing; at oneend'of the casing'in communication withthe casing, a gasoline blow torch in the housing and ing permitting access to the blow torch.

ing including a housing adapted to be; placed in valve means for f controlling admission of air'to 'inclosing relation with respect to the intakemani-' fold of an internal combustion 'enginefor auto mobiles, said casing'having' ah'eate r chamber therein and a circuitous chamber bordering the 5.0 between the circuitous chamberand carbureter for the engine, the heater chamberbeing in direct heater'chamber, means forming communication communication with the manifold, a housing, at onecnd of the casing in communication with the 'casing a gasoline blow torch in the housingand valve means for controlling admission'of air to,

--the housing, 'and a'side 'doorclosure for the housr r 2. In a heater ofthecharacter describerha ast 1 V the housing,.and saidcasing' having heat outlet I openings directed toward the engine.

3. In a heater of the character described, a

"casing including a housing adapted to be placed fin inclosing relation with respect to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine for automobiles, said casing having a heater cham the heater chamber, means forming communication between the circuitous ch'amber and carbu reter forthe engine, the heater chamber being in direct communicationi with the manifold, a housing at one end of the casing, in communication with the casing, a gasoline blow torch in the her therein and a'circuitous chamber bordering housingand valve means for controlling admis I sion of air to th'evhousing, a side door closure for the housing permitting access to the blow torch, and said casing having heat outlet openings directed toward the engin'et 4. In a heater of the character described, the combination with an internal combustion engine having a carbureter, an air cleaner and a pipe forming communication between the air cleaner and carbureter, of a heater including a housing adapted to be placed in inclosing relation with respect to the intake manifold of the engine, said casing having a heating chamber in direct communication with the manifold and a circuitous chamber bordering the heating chamber, a conduit forming communication between the circuitous chamber and the pipe forming communication between the air cleaner and carbureter and a valve device in the pipe at the point of connection of the conduit for controlling the flow of heated air from the conduit and cold air from the air cleaner to the carbureter.

5. In a heater of the character described, a casing including a housing adapted to be placed in inclosing relation with respect to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine for automobiles, said casing having a heating chamber therein in communication with the intake mani-- fold, a housing at one end of the casing in communication with the heater chamber, a burner element in the housing, a lamp for igniting the burner element, means for extinguishing the lamp and control means therefor operable from the instrument board of the automobile.

6. In a heater of the character described, a casing including a housing adapted to be placed in inclosing relation with respect to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine for automobiles, said casing having a heating chamber therein in communication with the intake manifold, a housing at one end of the casing in communication with the heater chamber, a burner element in the housing, a lamp for igniting the burner element, means for extinguishing the lamp and control means therefor operable from the instrument board of the automobile, and an igniter for the lamp operated from the instrument board.

CHARLES TRCA. 

